Keyless winding for watches



Aug. 1, 1939. H. coLoMB 2,167,797

KEYLESS WINDlNG FOR WATCHES Filed Dec. '7, 1957 Patented Aug. 1, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application December 7, 1937, Serial No. 178,620 In Switzerland February 26, 1937 8 Claims.

This invention relates to a keyless winding for watches and comprises a sleeve which is concentric with the winding stem and which is disposed in a recess of the crown, from which a spring 5 tends to extract said sleeve axially by applying same against the case rim, in order to prevent dust from penetrating in the watch.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for limiting the movement of the sleeve l from the crown so as to prevent losing the sleeve and thel spring.

A still further object is to provide the sleeve with a iiange or other protuberance which will cooperate with a ring associated with the crown .l in order to keep the sleeve connected to the crown.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a keyless winding which may be easily taken apart and which permits diminishing the thickness of the crown to a minimum.

With these and other objects in view as will appear from the detailed description below, the invention is illustrated in the drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a keyless winding illustrating the invention in the winding up position;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the parts in hand setting position;

30 Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view similar to position;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional View illustrating still another modication, and

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a further mcdication showing a modied form of sleeve. 40 In the rst embodiment, shown in Fig. l in the Winding-up position and in Fig. 2 in the hand setting position, the crown I has a recess 2 which receives the hollowed out sleeve 3 and serves partly as a housing for the spring il, which is 4f, intended to apply said sleeve against the case rim 5, the latter having a corresponding recess IS. Despite the very small play which is necessary in constructing and establishing a keyless winding thus constituted, the only passages through 0 which the dust could penetrate in the watch con.-

stitute a suiicient labyrinth for preventing the introduction oi any foreign bodies, the passage leading directly between the case rim and the socket 'l of the crown, being intercepted by the 55 constant application of the sleeve 3 against the bottom of the recess 6, both in the position according to Fig. l and that according to Fig. 2.

The inner cylindrical surface 8 of the sleeve opposite the outer cylindrical surface 9 of thesocket i which is coaxial therewith, comprises an inner flange I0 which cooperates with an elastic ring I I surrounding said socket, so as to limit the axial course of the sleeve. Fig. 2 shows these parts slightly removed from each other. They must not, however, meet in the hand setting position, so as not to suppress the application of the sleeve against the case rim during the hand setting operation. As will be seen in the drawing, a small circular groove, grooved in the socket l, fixes the position of the ring II and obviates the risk of placing same too high in the crown.

The ensemble just described can be taken to pieces; it is only necessary to press the sleeve into the crown, in order to be able to reach the ring and remove it.

As will be seen in the drawing, the thickness of the crown can be reduced as far as possible, and be equal at the maximum to the thickness of the material necessary beyond the bottom of the recess, plus the course eifected by the sleeve when passage is made from the winding-up position to the hand setting position and a little security that can be reduced to the minimum.

In the second embodiment, shown in Fig. 3 in the winding up position and in Fig, 4 in the hand setting position, the arrangement adopted is substantially the same as that just described. This modification differs by the fact that the ring II of the previous form is replaced by a tube I2 which is forced or preferably xed friction-tight on the socket 'I of the crown, The sleeve is formed as inthe preceeding example and the movement of the sleeve is limited by the tube l2.

The groove II is provided in the sleeve to facilitate the taking to pieces of the closure device, to be cleaned, for instance.

The third embodiment according to Fig. 5 shows how ring or tube can be replaced by a cap I3 which ts over the socket 'I of the crown, said cap having its top bored for the passage of the winding stem I4. Said cap will preferably be adapted with a slight friction on the socket l, so as to remain in place when the crown is being taken to pieces, but its position will be mainly ensured by the fact that the remaining part of its bottom can be gripped between the socket and a part I5 of greater diameter of the winding stem Said cap can even be used to fix the height of the crown relatively to the winding stem, if no regulating means are provided, but on the contrary a certain play between the end of the latter and the bottom of the screw-tapped part of the socket of the crown.

Finally the case may arise in which for a crown of given diameter, the recess of the case rim is greater than should normally be provided to serve as a support for the sleeve used. In this case, use may be made of a sleeve constructed according to the fourth embodiment of Fig. 6, a sleeve of a diameter corresponding to the recess of the crown, but comprising a box I6 constituting a support surface of greater diameter.

What I claim is:

1. A keyless winding for a watch comprising a crown having a recess and a socket, said socket receiving the winding stern of said watch, v.a sleeve slidably mounted in said recess, a '.sprinfr .urging said sleeve from said recess and against the casing of said watch in order to prevent dust from entering said watch and means upon said sleeve and socket limiting the movement of said sleeve from said recess.

2. A keyless winding for a watch comprising a crown .having a recess and a socket, said socket receiving the winding stern of said watch, a sleeve slidably mounted in said recess, a spring urging said sleeve from said recess and against .the casing of said watch in order to prevent `dust from entering said watch, saidfsleeve having a hollowed out portion serving as .a part housing for said spring and means upon said sleeve and socket limiting the movement of said sleeve from said recess.

3. A keyless winding for a watch comprising a crown having a recess and a socket, said socket receiving the winding stem or" said watch, a sleeve slidably mounted in said recess, a spring urging said sleeve from said recess and against the casing voi said watch in order to prevent dust from entering said Watch, said sleeve having a hollowed out portion serving'as la part housing for said spring, a flange upon said sleeve extendinginwardly towards said socket and means upon` said socket coacting with `saidiiange for limiting the movement of'said sleeve from saidrecess.

4. A keyless winding for a watch comprising a crown having a recess'and a socket, said socket receiving the windingstem of said watch, a sleeve slidably mounted in said recess, a spring Vurging 'said sleeve from said recess and against the casing of said watch in order to prevent dust from entering said watch, said sleeve having a hollowed out 'portion for receiving a portion of saidspring and a flange projecting towards said socket, said socket having a groove rand an elastic ring positioned in said groove cooperating with said flange for limiting the movement of said sleeve with relation to said crown.

5. A keyless winding for a watch comprising a crown having a recess and a sock-et, said socket receiving the winding stem of said watch, a sleeve slidably mounted in said recess, a spring urging said sleeve from said recess and against the casing onf said watch in order to prevent dust from entering said watch, said sleeve having `a flange projecting towards said socket and a tube fixed to said socket coacting with said flange in order to limit the movement of said sleeve with relation to saidcrown.

6. A keyless winding for a watch comprising a crown having a recess and a socket, said socket receiving'the winding stem of said watch, a sleeve slidably mounted in said recess, a spring urging saidisleeve from said recess and against the casing of said watch in order to prevent dust from entering said watch, said sleeve having a protuberance thereon projecting towards said socket 'and a cap fitted to said socket coacting with said Aprotuberance for limiting themovement of said sleeve with relation to said crown.

7. A keyless winding for a watch comprising a crown having a recess and a socket, said socket receiving the winding stem of said watch, said winding stem having an enlarged portion thereon, a sleeve slidably mounted in said recess, a spring urging said sleeve from said recess and against the 'casing of said watch in order to prevent dust from entering said watch, said sleeve Vhaving a protuberance projecting towards said socket, a cap tting over said socket andV having the top thereof bored ior'the passage of the winding stern, said top being held between the end of said socket and said enlarged portion upon the windingstem and said cap and protuberance coacting together so as to limit the movement of said sleeve with relation to said crown.

8. A keyless winding for a watch comprising a crown .having a recess and a socket, said socket receiving the winding stem of said watch, a sleeve slidably mounted in said recess, a spring urging said sleeve from said recess and against .the casing of said watch in order to prevent dust from; entering said watch, said sleeve having a hollowed out portion receiving a part of said spring and also having a iiange projecting towards said socket, means upon said socket coacting with said flange for limiting the movement o'f said sleeve with relation to said crown and said sleeve having a base portion of greater diameter than the'external diameter of said recess.

HENRI COLOMB. 

